A Bromley business providing care and transport for disabled and vulnerable people has called on the Treasury for help at the upcoming Budget with petrol prices at their highest since 2022.
Claire Kearney, director of companion driving service Driving Miss Daisy Bromley, said rising costs had forced the business to increase its prices, meaning South-East London customers are paying more for its services.
The Competition and Markets Authority said in a June 2026 report that conflict in the Middle East had caused a rapid increase in the wholesale cost of fuel, which had been passed on to drivers through higher pump prices.
Kearney said: “My fuel costs have gone up a lot. As much as possible I try to absorb some of the costs, but I’ve had to put up the fares in the last few months to compensate.
“We have a lot of costs: licensing, maintenance of the vehicles, tax, insurance, and then fuel going up as well.”
Driving Miss Daisy offers accessible transport for people with physical disabilities but also provides companionship for clients, many of whom suffer from dementia.
Its drivers help people get to hospital appointments, assist with shopping and provide companionship.
Kearney said: “Every week there’s someone who you’ve helped who is very thankful.”
Last week, Kearney said, she drove an elderly lady from a care home to see her sister, who she hadn’t been able to see in years.
Kearney added: “They couldn’t find anyone who could take her with her wheelchair. When we arrived, the sister came outside and they were both quite emotional.”
Kearney said she expected rising costs to present a similar challenge for the other 50 Driving Miss Daisy franchises across the country. She is calling for support from the Treasury in the October Budget.
She said: “We would definitely like some support from the Treasury to help with fuel costs for carers who need to drive to visit or take their clients to essential medical appointments.”
Care transport operators currently pay the same fuel duty as other motorists, with no special exemption.
The Treasury is set to increase fuel duty by three pence per litre on 1 January, which would increase costs for motorists.
Responding to demands to cut fuel duty, a Treasury spokesperson told LBC: “Decisions on tax are a matter for the Chancellor to set out at fiscal events, rather than routinely commenting on rumour, speculation or proposals.
“The Chancellor is fully focused on his priorities, to give families and businesses a bit of breathing space, back British jobs, and drive growth in every postcode, underpinned by a commitment to meet the fiscal rules.”
The Government’s Budget is due to be announced by Chancellor John Healey on Wednesday 28 October.
Featured image credit: Driving Miss Daisy Bromley.
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